4.3.3.7.3. For Women in Science: a programme of the Fondation L’Oréal
Since 1998, the L’Oréal-Unesco For Women in Science programme works to accelerate the careers of female scientists and fight the obstacles they encounter so that they can contribute to solving the great challenges of our time for the benefit of all.
To date, the International “L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science” Awards has honoured 127 women, distinguished for their careers and the excellence of their scientific work. They include Professors Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Ada Yonath, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, all of whom received a Nobel Prize after winning the International Prize. Each year, the programme also recognises more than250 young talented scientists at doctoral or post-doctoral level in over 110 countries.
To support these scientific women even further, and to allow them to break the glass ceiling more easily, the Fondation L’Oréal has made a commitment to train them in skills to which they generally do not have access during their academic courses (such as personnel development, management, communication, negotiation, gender bias).
This year, the For Girls in Science program was deployed nationaly. This program launched in 2016, in 6 cities in France with 150 high school girls aims to encourage them to pursue scientific vocations. Through academic support, inspiring meetings with women scientists, orientation workshops, scientific challenges and stays, the participants of the program discover together how science, in particular STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics - have an impact on society and in our lives.
Over 4,100 female scientists, in more than 100 countries, distinguished and recognised since 1998.
4.3.3.7.4. The L’Oréal Fund for Women: a charitable fund to support women in extremely vulnerable situations throughout the world.
The crisis triggered by the Covid-19 health crisis has exacerbated many inequalities, with particularly devastating effects for those who were already struggling socially or economically or were victims of abuse, where women are at the top of the list.
As a long-term supporter of women’s rights, in 2020 L’Oréal launched a €50 million charitable endowment fund as part of its L’Oréal for the Future programme. This fund aims to support local organisations on the field in their efforts to assist women in extremely vulnerable situations, prevent domestic and sexual violence and support victims. Particular attention is paid to projects aimed at helping women who are vulnerable on a number of fronts, particularly refugees or women with disabilities. Beyond emergency relief the L’Oréal Fund for Women wants to make a proactive contribution to the resilience of women and girls, by supporting social and professional integration projects and breaking down the barriers to education. Since it was launched, the L’Oréal Fund for Women has supported more than 240 organisations around the world, which support more than 1,230,000 direct beneficiaries.
4.3.3.7.5. Brand programmes: examples
Alongside the NGO Care, Lancôme has been taking part in Write your Future, an international programme aimed at fighting illiteracy among girls, since 2017. In 2022, the programme had more than 77,000 beneficiaries(1).
Over the past 14 years, the Helena Rubinstein brand has supported women who want to become entrepreneurs. In 2022, with the assistance of its partner NGO Forces Femmes, it supported 283 women (1).
4.3.3.7.6. Responsible and inclusive purchasing
Over 60% of the beneficiaries of the Group's Solidarity Sourcing programme are women (see section 4.3.3.6.). A total of 42,543 beneficiaries come from 83 projects – encompassing180 local initiatives – specifically related to the emancipation of women in 39 countries, with the support of 22 associations and NGO partners. These projects support:
- women producers of raw materials such as shea, centella,argan, babacu or galanga collected and harvested in accordance with fair trade principles;
- women from various vulnerable local communities, or who have assumed positions usually held by men;
- beneficiaries through support for women-owned businesses(suppliers owned, controlled and led by 51% or more women). In 2022, the Group continued to accelerate its strategy to support female entrepreneurship, reconfirming its commitment in WEConnect International(2). Since 2020,the Group has increased sevenfold the number of jobs with suppliers owned, controlled and managed by women:4,522 jobs in 27 countries. This strategy, initiated many years ago in the United States through the partnership with The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, is being deployed and accelerated worldwide;
- single mothers (704 single mothers in Latin America);
- military wives; and
- women victims of violence.
In addition to agriculture, these projects concern a broad range of manufacturing activities and services: production, assembly, logistics, sales, marketing, or digital business activities.
(1) Data consolidated based on a statement submitted directly by partner NGOs
(2) WEConnect International is an international network that certifies and connects “women-owned” suppliers with their target customer companies.